How Azzi Fudd helped UConn destroy South Carolina, and what it means for her WNBA Draft prospects

If any team was going to turn Sunday afternoon's highly anticipated showdown between No. 7 UConn and No. 4 South Carolina into a blowout, the money would have been on the defending national champion Gamecocks, who entered with a 71-game winning streak at home. Instead, the Huskies jumped out to an early lead and cruised to a stunning 87-58 road victory.

There were a number of factors that led to UConn's best win of the season, and South Carolina's worst loss since 2018. None was more important than the Huskies' massive advantage from 3-point range. They shot 13 of 28 from behind the arc, making nearly as many 3s as the Gamecocks attempted (3 of 17). The Huskies' 30-point edge from downtown was almost identical to their 29-point margin of victory.

Leading the way in the shooting department was Azzi Fudd, who made twice as many 3s as South Carolina by herself, and finished with 28 points, five rebounds and two assists on 11 of 22 from the field, including 6 of 10 from behind the arc.

Fudd actually got off to a slow start. She missed her first four shots and went into the locker room at halftime having made just two of her 10 field goal attempts. Less than a minute into the third quarter, though, she got into the paint for a runner and never looked back. Fudd's stunning third, in which she shot 7 of 9 and poured in 18 points to nearly match South Carolina's entire team (21 points), slammed the door shut on any possible comeback attempt from the Gamecocks.

Given the opponent and the location, this was arguably the best performance of Fudd's career, which has been hampered by multiple knee injuries, including a torn ACL that cost her all but two games last season. Her 18 points in the third quarter were her most in any quarter in her career, and her 28 points were her fifth-highest scoring game since arriving in Storrs back in 2021.





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